Process and apparatus for washing artificial silk



Feh, 23 1926.

A. PINEL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING ARTIFICIAL SILK Filed April26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Eth n/fir:

Feb.- 23 1926. 1,573,859

A. PINEL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING- ARTIFICIAL SILK Filed April26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 23,1926.

' UNITED, STATES Annran mum, on nounn, rnancn.

AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING ARTIFICIAL SILK.

Application filed April 26, 1923. Serial No. 634,867.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ADRIEN PINEL, a citizenof the French Republic, residing at Rouen, in the Department ofSeine-Infel rieure and'State of France, have invented or discoveredcertain new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus forWashing Artificial Silk, of which the following is a s ecification,reference being had therein to tile accompanying drawings. a It is knownthat bobbins of artificial silk as they leave the squirting andcoagulating apparatus have' to be washed and dried.

This washing is necessary for the reason that the cellulose from whichthe artificial silk is made is impregnated with certain acids and saltswhich will change the same, both chemicall and physically, when the silkis dried, irnot eliminated.

These two operations such as hithertok-arried out, take considerabletime. There is, therefore, a considerable accumulation of materials andof bobbins being treated; and an excessive delay'in the manufacture.

As to the drying, it is possible; to reduce its duration by a reliminarydrying of the bobbins by centrif il tage however is to a great extentneutralized by the time and the supplementary opera 30 tions which arenecessary for placing in and Withdrawingthe bobbins from the centrifugaldrying machine and by the waste which often results therefrom.

The present invention has for its object a rapid and economic Washing ofbobbinsof artificial silk which leave thesquirting and coagulatingapparatus andat the same time placing them under such conditions thattheir subsequent drying shall be also more rapid and consequently, moreeconomic:

' To this end, the invention has for its object, amethod of rapid andeconomic washing of bobbins of artificial silk consisting in principle,in the combinationof successive alternating washings and centrifugaldryings, each being of a comparatively shortv duration, it beingpossible to vary this method in any suit-able manner and moreparticularly with a view to'increasing the economic character, by means of anew type of washing and centrifugal drying machines, which is alsowithin the present invention.

The above process may be carried into practice in various ways, amongothers and by way of example, the bobbins to be washed gal action. Thisadvanmay be sprayed during a few minutes, then they may be subjected toa centrifugal drying also for a few minutes and these two operations maybe alternately repeated, thus obtaining a perfect washing after aboutone hour of this treatment, the last centrifugal drying operationexpelling the liquid which impregnates the bobbins, putting the latterin favourable conditions for a subsequent rapid and economic drying.

The duration of the alternating periods ofwashing and centrifugal dryingmay be equal or not for each of the operations, they may be increasingor decreasing, and also the duration between each period of washing andcentrifugal drying necessary for carrying them out, may constitute athird phase of the process, the duration of which may then be prolongedand become equal or longer or shorter than the duration of the periodsof washing and centrifugal drying, the said third period permitting theimpregnation of the bobbins sprayed'with a small quantity of water andconsequently increasing'the economy of the process, by reducing theconsumption of the washing water.

For carrying the above said principles of the invention into practice,various means may be used, either manual or mechanical; the washing maybe effected byv spraying, immersion, or circulation, and. the drying bymeans of any centrifugal dryin machines; however, in order to do awaywith any useless, harmful and costly handling of the bobbins, it will bepreferable to carry out the process by means of a newtype of washing andcentrifugal drying machine, permitting the washing and centrifugaldrying of the bobbins without handling them, according to the chosenmode of carrying the in vention into effect. A machine of this kind may,for instance, be constructed and operated as hereinafter described anddiagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the drawingsaccompanying the present description and in which: Fig. .1 is a frontelevation. Fig. 2 is a diametral vertical section.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a frame in 05' which is journalled ahorizontal driving shaft 2 to one end of which is fixed a circularcarrier 3 from one or both of the faces 1 of which, and near itsperipher extend one, two or a larger number 0 circular series ofbobbin-holders, each consisting a leys which may be connected by a belt10 with fast and loose pulleys on the shaft 12.

"The motor shaft has a suitable connection,

preferably of a pair of spindles 4 on which are placed the bobbins 5. Inorder to maintain the bobbins 5 upon their bobbin-holders 4, during theworking of the machine, one of the holders 4 of each pair is provided atits outer end with a small oscillating or rotary projection 6, whichallows or prevents, according to its position, the withdrawal orinsertion of the bobbins 5. The said projection may, of course, bereplaced by any other means for holding the bobbins 5 on the spindles 4.y

A water distribution pipe system 7 is-arranged outside of the whole or apart of the periphery of the rotary carrier 3, and compises cross pipeshaving perforations 8 which are suitablejin number and are prop erlylocated to spray the bobbins 5, mounted upon the bobbin-holders 4, withjets of water, either during a continuous, but slow, or an intermittentrotation of the member 3. To this end, the actuation ofthe bobbincarrier 3, by the shaft 2; will be such, that it will be possible toobtain, at will, either a very high speed of rotation of said carrier,with a view to drying by centrifugal .action, or a slower speed ofrotation permitting the spraying; or a very high speed for drying bycentrifugal action, and a stoppage for spraying, these combinationsbeing capable of being carried into efi'ectby various driving means.Such operations may be effected by the means of an electric motor 9having a shaft provided with fast and loose pulshown in dotted lines inFig.2, with a shaft which is provided with a worm 12 meshing with aworm-wheel 13 near the lower'end of a vertical shaft 11 which isprovided near its upper end with a worm meshing with a worm-wheel 14 onthe shaft 2. This connection between the motor shaft and the shaftcarrying the worm 12 is preferably effected by a pawl which isautomatically lifted when the shaft 2 is driven at a high speed by thebelt 10 running from a pulley on the shaft of the motor 91 When it isdesired to rotate the bobbin-carrier 3 slowly for a washing operationthe shaft 2 will be rotated by means of the worm and worm-wheel gearingjust described, the belt 10 being at such time shifted to the loosepulleysreferred to; but when it is desired to rotate the bobbin-carrier3 rapidly, for

centrifugal drying, the worm and wormwheel gearing will be disconnectedfrom the motor shaft and the belt 10 will be shifted to the loosepulleys on the motor shaft and the shaft 2. Either the slow or rapidrotations of the bobbin-carrier 3 may be effected intermittingly by anintermittent energizing of the electric motor 9, by turning the currentofi and on, as will be obvious.

A casing, not illustrated, will, in practice, enclose the bobbin-carrier3 and its spraying system, with a view to avoiding the splash ing ofliquid which is collected and removed for treatment, if desired, with aView to the recovery of the substances which have been carried off bythe washing operation.

With this machine or" with any other machine of the same type,constructed or adapted in such a manner as to allow the present processof being carried into effect, according to the above principle, thebobbins to be washed may be treated rapidly and economically, after thebobbins 5 have been mounted u on their holders or supports 4.-

The bob in-carrier 3 is caused to rotate.

very slowly for a few minutes during which the spraying water isprojected through the jets 8, uponthe bobbins; afterwards, the, deliveryof water being stopped, the carrier is caused to rotate rapidly, in sucha manner as to effect the centrifugal drying of the bobbins which havejust been washed.

After a few minutes of centrifugal drying, the rapid rotation of thecarrier 3 is drying taking lace afterwards, and so on,

the saving in liquidbeing thereby still further effected and also the ex'ense in the motive power, the duration of t e treatment being about thesame as previously.

In certain cases, the washing may take place with the bobbin-carrier 3stopped, the

spraying being replaced by a temporary im-.

mersion in water of the whole or part of the bobbins mounted upon thecarrier which may be disposed horizontally or vertically, all thesevariations in the carrying out of the rapid and economic method ofwashing, ac-

cording to the present invention, being within the principle of theinvention.

What I claim is:

1. A process for treating artificial silk product consisting inalternately washing and drying the same a successive number of times,the washing being elfectedby spraying and the drying by centrifugalaction.

2. An apparatus for washing and drying artificial silk productconsisting of a rotary bobbin-carrier, spraying means for subjects ingthe bobbins on said carrier to jets of 3. An apparatus for washing anddrying artificial silk product consisting of a rotary bobbin-carrier,spraying means for subjecting the bobbins on said carrier to jets ofwater, operating means for rotating said carrier slowly fora washingoperation and means for rotating said carrier rapidly for a centrifugaldrying operation, said slow and rapid operating means being adapted tobe actuated alternately.

4. An apparatus for washing and drying artificial silk productconsisting of a rotary bobbin-carrier, spraying means for subjecting thebobbins on said carrier to jets of water, operating means for rotatingsaid carrier slowly for a washing operation and means for rotating saidcarrier rapidly for a centrifugal drying operation, said slow and rapidoperating means being adapted to be actuated intermittingly.

5. An apparatus for washing and drying artificial silk productcomprising a bobbincarrier, a shaft on which said carrier is mounted, anelectric motor having a shaft, fast and loose pulleys on both of saidshafts, a belt connecting said pulleys, whereby said carrier may berotated rapidly for cent ifw gal drying, worm and worm-wheel gearingadapted to be operatively connected with and disconnected from saidshafts, for slow rotation of said carrier for a washing operation, andspraying means adjacent said bobbin-carrier.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ADRIEN PINEL.

